Homer's Hookies

… You'll get hooked on our cookies!

1/2 c. butter (not margarine!)
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1.5 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1.5 c. chocolate chips
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

Cream butter and sugars very well (until fluffy)
Add egg and vanilla and mix.
Add dry ingredients and mix well.
Stir in chocolate chips.
Shape into 1" balls and place 2" apart on ungreased baking sheet.
Bake at 350 for 10-12 mins or until tops are just beginning to turn golden.

James' Fajita Seasoning

A sweet fajita seasoning

Ingredients

1. 1/3 cup lime juice (or any other citrus juice)
2. 1 T. cumin
3. 2-3 cloves garlic
4. dash of cayenne pepper
5. 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
6. 2 T. coconut oil (or olive, or vegetable, if you must)
7. 1 tsp. salt
8. 2 T. apple cider vinegar
9. 1/4 c. brown sugar
10. fresh cilantro to taste (optional)

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients, pour over chicken and simmer until chicken is cooked.

Notes

1. You may want to taste it beforehand. "You want it tart enough that your jaw tingles a bit but not so much that you get a sustained pucker. A lot of the tartness goes away with cooking so a bit of a bite is good"
2. "I would cook the peppers and onions separately from the chicken. Maybe caramalize the onions a bit"
3. "If you [marinade the chicken] make sure the marinade is strong. The citrus and vinegar help break the meat down but the water in the chicken dilutes it. I usually just cut up the chicken and throw it in the skillet pour the sauce on and cook. You don't want the chicken to be swimming. If possible you want the sauce to cook down and maybe even caramelize a bit on the chicken. That balance is really hard to get just right though. I would prefer a bit too much sauce to not quite enough."
4. This is enough sauce for 3-4 large chicken breasts cut into small chunks. Perhaps more.
5. This sauce is also good with chicken and shrimp.
6. If you don't like spicy sauces, leave out the cayenne and red pepper. You'll get a nice sweet seasoning.

Zucchini Chicken Curry

Zucchini Chicken Curry

12 cups water
1 tsp. salt
2-3 lbs. chicken breasts
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 medium onion, diced
2 medium Gala apples (or any tart apple), peeled and diced
2 medium zucchini, peeled and diced
1 Tbsp. curry powder (add more only after tasting)
4 Tbsp. butter, divided
1/3 cup raisins (golden or regular)
1.5 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup root beer or Coca-cola (no diet)
3 Tbsp. flour
1 cup evaporated milk, undiluted (or coconut milk)
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. white or black pepper
Cooked rice
Condiments: raisins, grated coconut, lime wedges

In a large pot, add water and salt and bring to a boil.  Add chicken and sliced celery.  (If chicken is frozen, boil for 20 mins before adding celery.)  Reduce heat, cover and simmer until the chicken is tender, about 20 mins.  Cut up the cooked chicken and set aside.  Reserve 1.5 cups of the chicken broth; set aside.

In a large skillet, melt 1 Tbsp. butter; sauté diced onions for 2-3 mins.  Move to a separate bowl.  Dice apples and zucchini and add to onions.  Add curry powder.  In the skillet, melt the remaining 3 Tbsp. butter and add the apples/zucchini/onion mixture.  Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often.

In a bowl, combine the raisins, reserved chicken broth, and soda of your choice.  Add to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes.

Mix the flour into the evaporated (or coconut) milk, whisking to remove any lumps.  Add the salt and pepper.  When smooth, add to the skillet and stir.  Cook over low heat until mixture is creamy and thick.  Season to taste.  Add the cooked chicken and celery.

Serve over rice with any of the condiments desired.

Serves 4-6.

Recipe from the book How to Stuff a Wild Zucchini.

Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups wild rice
• 3.5 cups water
• 6 strips bacon
• 1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium)
• 1 cup chopped celery (about 2 medium stalks)
• 1 cup chopped carrots (about 2 medium)
• 2 cans (10.75 oz. each) condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 can (14 oz.) chicken broth
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1.5 cups half-and-half
• .5 tsp. black pepper

Directions:

• Place rice and water in large saucepan. Bring to boil.
• Reduce heat; cover and simmer until the rice is tender and the water absorbed, about 15-20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add bacon and cook until crisp and browned on both sides, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer to a cutting board, leaving the bacon drippings in the skillet.  Chop bacon and set aside.
• Add onion, celery and carrots to the skillet.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened.  About 8-10 minutes.
• Put all ingredients in a 4 or 5 quart slow cooker.  Cover and cook on High until heated through, about 2-3 hours.

Notes: 

• To make it a more filling soup, add 2 cups chopped, cooked chicken to the slow cooker.
• Great in soup bowls or with a side of crusty French rolls with butter.

Taco Soup

Ingredients

1. 2 cans black beans, drained
2. 1 can corn, drained
3. 1 can diced tomatoes
4. 1 can evaporated milk
5. 4 cups chicken broth (low sodium, if possible)
6. 1 packet taco seasoning* (or 3.5 Tbsp.)
7. 1 packet ranch mix*
8. 1/2 cup uncooked rice
9. 1 can of chicken (optional) (CostCo's is best)
10. Tortilla chips

Directions

1. Put everything except tortilla chips in a pot and let simmr until the rice is done, about 20 minutes.
2. Top with tortilla chips and serve.

*If you don't want to use packets, I believe (but have not tried) the following spices will work for the taco and ranch mixes:

• 5 tsp minced onion
• 1.5 tsp parsley
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1.5 tsp garlic powder
• 2.5 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 heaping tsp onion powder
• tiny pinch of cayenne

2 week menu #1

I've started doing two-week menus.  I go shopping the day after payday, enough for two weeks.  I end up making a much smaller shopping trip halfway through to stock up on milk, etc.  Here is the menu we just finished.

French Onion Soup

Honey Glazed Pork Chops with Rice

Cincinnati Stlye Chili and brownies

Biscuits and gravy

Mushroom chicken with rice

Egg, bacon, and bagel sandwiches

Garlic, Chicken, Bacon, Ranch pizza

Shepherd's Pie

Israeli dinner (including falafel, latkes, israeli salad, and khada'if)

Garlic Roasted Chicken

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

Hawaiian pizza

That doesn't quite equal 14 days, but a few of them we had leftovers, or ate at someone else's house.

Parmesan Mushroom Pasta

Dinner

Ingredients

1. 16 oz. fettuccine
2. 1/4 cup unsalted butter
3. 1/2 c. frozen chopped onion
4. 12 oz. fresh mushrooms, coarsely chopped
5. 3 T. chicken broth
6. 1/2 tsp. salt
7. 1/2 c. half-and-half
8. 1/4 tsp. black pepper
9. 1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
10. 2 T. chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions.
2. Drain pasta. Drizzle with olive oil and toss, then place in a large serving dish. Set aside.
3. While pasta is cooking, melt butter in a large skillet over low heat.
4. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 4 minutes.
5. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 4 minutes.
6. Add the broth and salt to the mushroom mixture; increase heat to medium-high.
7. Stir frequently until the liquid has evaporated, about 4 minutes.
8. Reduce heat to low.
9. Add the half-and-half and pepper.
10. Cook, stirring frequently, until just heated through, about 1 minute longer.
11. Spoon the mushroom mixture over the pasta.
12. Toss to coat.
13. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and parsley.
14. Serve immediately.